Assistant United States Attorney (Appellate)

Summary

In all matters, it is our mission to represent the people of the United States in a manner that will instill confidence in the fairness and integrity of our office and the judicial system, and to conduct our work with the highest integrity. We strive to perform our mission in the most efficient and effective manner. This position can be located in any of our three branch locations: Fort Wayne, Hammond or South Bend. Applications will be pulled on a rolling basis.

Duties

• The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana is currently soliciting applications for an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) in its Appellate Division. The successful applicant will be responsible for researching and drafting briefs and motions for filing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, handling oral arguments in the Seventh Circuit, handling post-conviction Habeas Corpus (28 U.S.C § 2255) matters in district courts, reviewing and editing briefs and motions for colleagues, participating in moot courts to prepare for oral argument, and providing legal strategy support for AUSAs in the Criminal and Civil Divisions. Briefs will involve a wide variety of constitutional, statutory, and other claims arising under substantive and procedural federal criminal and civil law and primarily respond to defense claims of error in convictions and/or sentences, while at times, the government will file an appeal challenging district court decisions or orders. The attorney must have a very strong ability to analyze complex legal and factual issues, write, communicate, and advocate clearly and persuasively, possess a strong work ethic, exhibit good organizational skills, exercise fair and sound judgment, pay careful attention to facts and details, work well both independently and on a team, be ready and willing to volunteer to help other attorneys, be able to negotiate effectively with opposing counsel, handle matters in court persuasively on behalf of the United States of America, and be devoted to justice, excellence, and representing the public. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information. Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience, which includes significant legal writing and oral advocacy experience that demonstrates strong writing skills, legal practice in federal court or a federal court clerkship, and/or practice in criminal matters or civil matters. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: Applicants should possess a demonstrated ability and willingness to be self-reliant and motivated in order to: review and distill voluminous records involving complex fact patterns; understand and articulate complex legal doctrines; routinely prepare high-quality and persuasive briefs on strict time deadlines; make persuasive oral arguments; and to assist other attorneys in all divisions. Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Applicants will be expected to do their own legal research and writing and will be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants must also demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research on the Internet, electronic court filing, and electronic e-mail and word processing systems. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/21/2026 to receive consideration. 1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.) 3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. However, should you not be able to apply online, please contact Northern District of Indiana at 219-937-5500 or email at [email protected], prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.